- German Release with Gatefold Album Cover
"Chunga's Revenge" is the album by Frank Zappa, released on October 23, 1970. Zappa's first effort of the 1970s marks the first appearance of former Turtles members Flo & Eddie on a Zappa record, and signals the dawn of a controversial epoch in Zappa's history (this era is both hated and loved by Zappa fans in equal measure). Chunga's Revenge represents a shift from both the satirical political commentary of his 1960s work with The Mothers of Invention, and the jazz fusion of Hot Rats.
"Chunga's Revenge" arrived in 1970 as Frank Zappa’s first official solo studio album after disbanding the original Mothers of Invention. It set the tone immediately: a restless, genre-bending project built in the spirit of experimentation rather than polish. This record lands right in the cultural turbulence of the early seventies, shaped by global unrest and a rapidly mutating rock landscape.
Zappa built a new lineup around himself, including Flo & Eddie—fresh from their pop success with The Turtles. Their presence pushed the album into more theatrical, chaotic territory. Instead of a unified sound, the record turns into a collage of rock, jazz, blues, proto-metal riffing, and Zappa’s unmistakable avant-garde humor.
Tracks like "Transylvania Boogie" lean into heavy instrumental work, while "Road Ladies" dips into sleazy blues and "The Clap" injects Zappa’s trademark spoken-word absurdity. The result is intentionally raw and unpredictable—music aimed at adventurous listeners rather than mainstream radio.
Recording sessions stretched across several studios, including The Record Plant (Hollywood), Trident Studios (London), T.T.G. Inc. (Hollywood), and Whitney Studios (Glendale). A standout moment, "Twenty Small Cigars", was captured live at the Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, adding another layer of immediacy to the album’s patchwork design.
The album stirred controversy over suggestive lyrics and its original artwork, though these reactions only amplified its cult status. In Germany, the gatefold edition became especially recognized; its release resonated strongly with Europe’s experimental rock scene, drawing parallels—sometimes loosely—with the broader Krautrock movement of the era.
Historical Context: The album landed during a period marked by anti-war demonstrations, counterculture shifts, and artistic rebellion. Its chaotic, genre-mixing nature mirrors the fractured mood of 1970 and the spirit of challenging traditional structures.
Musical Exploration: Zappa used "Chunga's Revenge" as a laboratory for ideas that defied boundaries. The record jumps between styles with deliberate unpredictability, embracing improvisation, satire, and stylistic clashes as part of its creative identity.
Rock, Jazz, Comedy Rock
A blend of experimental rock, blues-influenced structures, jazz improvisation and Zappa’s trademark comedic/absurdist writing. This album shifts rapidly between seriousness and satire, weaving tight musicianship with theatrical vocal parts.
REPRISE Records – Cat#: REP 44020
Gatefold/FOC (Fold Open Cover) Album Cover Design with artwork / photos on the inside cover pages
No custom inner sleeve included.
Record Format: 12" LP Vinyl Stereo
Total Weight: 280g
1970 – Germany
Disclaimer: Track durations may vary slightly between pressings due to mastering or plant differences.
This German gatefold front cover bursts with intensity: a vivid magenta backdrop supports the album title “Chunga’s Revenge” and the artist name “Frank Zappa,” both rendered in hand-drawn, irregular lettering that feels playful, chaotic, and unmistakably rooted in the era’s underground graphic culture. Dominating the layout is a stark black-and-white portrait of a long-haired man caught mid-shout, his open mouth and wild hair forming the image’s emotional nucleus.
The photograph’s grainy, high-contrast treatment accentuates every strand, wrinkle, and shadow, giving the portrait a gritty physical presence. Its tight rectangular crop isolates the face, making the eruption of expression feel immediate and unfiltered, as if the viewer has stumbled into a moment of raw energy.
Beneath the photograph, a single line of printed micro-text introduces a surreal vignette involving a gypsy mutant vacuum cleaner dancing beside a nighttime campfire. This playful absurdity meshes seamlessly with the visual tone of the cover, echoing the album’s reputation for blending musical experimentation with humor, narrative fragments, and theatrical flair.
The bottom portion features the album title again, “Chunga’s Revenge,” in distressed purple letters with scattered blue highlights, almost vibrating against the bright background. The entire composition signals an eccentric, unconventional, and deliberately confrontational identity—one aligned with the experimental rock and counterculture currents of the early 1970s.
This back cover of the German 1970 gatefold edition of Chunga’s Revenge presents an intense visual layout built on a deep electric-blue background. At the top left, a bright, warm-red panel displays the complete track lists for Side One and Side Two, including durations and the album’s total running time. The sharp color contrast between red and blue gives the layout a distinctly psychedelic edge that immediately pulls the eye.
Beneath the track panel, a dense block of white text details the personnel for each recording, listing Frank Zappa’s lineup track by track, including instruments, vocals, and unique contributions. This meticulous breakdown emphasizes the album’s varied studio origins and the musicians’ shifting roles across sessions.
On the right, two duplicated cut-out images of Frank Zappa stand side by side, each in a brown textured jacket, red shirt, and patterned cravat. The duplicated silhouette effect gives the design a collage-like, surreal quality, reinforcing the album’s experimental character. The Reprise Records logo and catalog number 44 020 RS 2030 appear in the upper-right corner, anchoring the cover in its original German release format.
The composition blends vivid colors, layered imagery, and extensive liner notes into a striking and informative presentation that captures the eccentric, restless personality of Zappa’s early-1970s period. It balances visual chaos with precise documentation, reflecting both the humor and musical complexity of the album itself.
This inside gatefold artwork from the German 1970 release of Chunga’s Revenge presents a surreal nighttime woodland setting painted in moody blues, greens, and violets. Two bright yellow wooden caravans rest in a clearing, their doors open to reveal cozy, softly lit interiors. A pair of horses graze near the tree line, blending into the shadows of the forest.
In the foreground stands a peculiar creature that appears part-human, part-machine. Dressed in layered ruffled skirts and wearing a large conical hat, the figure holds a long flexible tube connected to a bonfire, creating the impression of fueling, inhaling, or interacting with the flames in an unnatural way. The oddness of the scene amplifies the album’s playful, experimental spirit.
Nearby sits a sketch-style guitar amplifier on the grass, with an audio cable curling toward the bottom edge of the frame. A tall metal boom stand extends from the left, suspending a bulb-shaped microphone over the clearing, as though the entire spectacle is being recorded for some mysterious sonic ritual.
The combination of folk imagery, carnival absurdity, and theatrical surrealism captures the eccentric personality of the album’s visual world. This artwork reinforces the blend of humor, imagination, and avant-garde narrative that defined Zappa’s early-1970s aesthetic.
This second illustrated inside-gatefold page of the German 1970 edition of Chunga’s Revenge combines elements of woodland fantasy with the precision of studio engineering. A single yellow caravan sits nestled among tall, twisting trees, bathed in the deep purples, greens, and blues of a moonlit forest. Through the trees glows a soft blue-and-yellow light, suggesting a distant fire, sunset, or mystical opening in the woods.
Suspended overhead are multiple studio microphones, each mounted on long metal boom arms that intrude into the natural environment as if documenting the scene for an unknown sonic experiment. The contrast between heavy industrial recording equipment and the organic forest setting gives the image a strangely theatrical energy.
At the bottom of the illustration, a detailed analog mixing console stretches across the width of the frame. Its backlit VU meters glow yellow and blue, creating a striking chromatic echo of the forest lighting above. Numerous knobs, switches, and patch cables fill the control surface, while a hand is shown adjusting one of the controls, suggesting that the surreal outdoor landscape is actively being mixed or engineered.
The artwork creates a vivid fusion of technical reality and dreamlike imagination, perfectly reflecting the playful, genre-bending sensibility that defines Zappa’s early-1970s work. It feels like a visual metaphor for transforming raw, chaotic inspiration into structured sonic creation.
This detailed close-up shows the German Side One label used for Frank Zappa’s Chunga’s Revenge on Reprise Records in 1970. The background is a bold, saturated yellow, a signature color of this era’s German Reprise pressings. At the top sits the classic Reprise ship logo: a stylized riverboat with tall masts and decorative flags, referencing the historic showboat imagery the label adopted to evoke theatricality, storytelling, and musical tradition. This emblem sits beside the large, boxed “r” Reprise icon printed in orange.
Beneath the logos, the album’s text is laid out in clean black type: “FRANK ZAPPA” and “CHUNGA’S REVENGE” centered and stacked. To the left appears “STEREO,” and to the right the clear side designation “SIDE 1.” Below this sits the GEMA rights society block, a standard symbol for German-licensed vinyl of the period. The tracklist is compact and neatly arranged into four numbered titles, including “Transylvania Boogie,” “Road Ladies,” “Twenty Small Cigars,” and the multipart “The Nancy & Mary Music.”
The lower section features production credit (“Produced by Frank Zappa”), publishing attribution to “Frank Zappa Music,” the catalog number “REP 44 020,” and the German pressing code “(31,107).” A large black triangle displays the 33 RPM speed marking. Around the outer rim, fine-print text in German identifies manufacturing and distribution by WEA, along with rights warnings typical of early-1970s commercial vinyl.
The overall layout, typography, and emblem placement reflect the standardized German Reprise label format of the era, offering a clean, functional, and highly recognizable presentation prized by collectors for its clarity and pressing quality.
German yellow Reprise Records label used on early 1970s pressings. This particular label design was used by Reprise Records between 1969 and 1975.
This close-up of the German Side Two label for Chunga’s Revenge reveals the familiar bright yellow background used on early 1970s Reprise Records pressings. At the top, the iconic riverboat illustration stretches across the label, depicting a stylized showboat with tall masts and multiple flags waving above its ornate upper deck. The image symbolizes theatricality, musical performance, and the historical Americana roots that the Reprise label often referenced. To the right sits the orange boxed “r,” a bold and instantly recognizable logo element.
Directly below the logos, the centered black text displays “FRANK ZAPPA” and “CHUNGA’S REVENGE.” On the left appears the STEREO designation; on the right, the clear “SIDE 2” indicator. Beneath these is the boxed GEMA rights society mark, confirming licensing for distribution within West Germany.
The tracklist is arranged in six numbered lines, including “Tell Me You Love Me,” “Would You Go All The Way?,” the title track “Chunga’s Revenge,” “The Clap,” “Rudy Wants To Buy Yez A Drink,” and “Sharleena.” Production and publishing credits follow, including acknowledgment of Frank Zappa Music.
Toward the bottom, the catalog number “REP 44 020” appears above the German pressing code “(31,108).” A black triangle encloses the 33 RPM speed marking, and fine-print rim text outlines manufacturing by WEA and the customary restrictions on copying or broadcasting. The combination of vivid background color, precise typography, and consistent Reprise branding makes this variant highly recognizable to collectors.
German yellow Reprise Records label used on early 1970s pressings. This particular label design was used by Reprise Records between 1969 and 1975.
United Artists Records UAS 29 218 XD , 1971 , Germany
"200 Motels" is the 1971 American-British musical surrealist film cowritten and directed by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer and starring The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel and Ringo Starr.
200 Motels (1971, Germany) 12" Vinyl LP
TMOQ TradeMark Of Quality , 1971 , USA
Bootleg recording capturing a live performance from the iconic rock band. Released on green vinyl, this collector's gem is alternatively known as "Contempo '70" among enthusiasts, distinguishing it from the official 200 Motels album
200 Motels TMOQ Green Vinyl (1971, USA) 12" Vinyl LP
DISCREET DIS 59201 , 1974 , Germany
Frank Zappa's 1974 cult classic "Apostrophe" on 12" vinyl. Features Zappa staples like "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" & a stellar band with Jean-Luc Ponty & Napoleon Murphy Brock.
Apostrophe (1974, Germany) 12" Vinyl LP
FOO-EEE RI-70537
"As an Am" features recordings from three separate shows. Track 1 is from May 19, 1981 at Rockline, KLOS-FM, Los Angeles, California; tracks 2 and 3 are from May 21, 1982 at Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany and tracks 4-6 are from October 31, 1981 at The Palladium, New York City.
As An Am 12" Vinyl LP
CBS S 8216 , 1979 , Germany
"Bobby Brown" is a satirical and humorous song that explores the life of the titular character, touching on themes of narcissism and societal expectations.
Bobby Brown b/w Stick it Out 7" Vinyl Single
LaDISCREET DS 2234 / 31,936 bel , 1975 , USA
This is the album released by Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart in 1975. The live portions were recorded on 20 & 21 May 1975 at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas. Studio tracks were recorded in January 1975
Bongo Fury (1975, USA) 12" Vinyl LP
Zappa's first effort of the 1970s marks the first appearance of former Turtles members Flo & Eddie on a Zappa record, and signals the dawn of a controversial epoch in Zappa's history
Chunga's Revenge (1970, Canada) Chunga's Revenge 1st German Release Chunga's Revenge (1970, Germany)
FOO-EEE RI 70539
"Freaks and Motherfu*#@%! 12" Vinyl LP Album" captures a memorable live performance at Fillmore East, New York City, on 13 November 1 1970. The album features a blend of Zappa's unique musicality and humor, with tracks like "Call Any Vegetable" and "Wino Man" showcasing his avant-garde style. This LP offers a glimpse into Zappa's experimental genius during that era
Freaks And Motherfu*#@%! 12" LP
REPRISE 44209 , 1972 , Germany
This is the 1972 jazz fusion album by Frank Zappa. Composed and recorded during Zappa's period of convalescence following his assault in London, the album, along with its "twin brother" Waka/Jawaka (July 1972), represent Zappa's foray into big band fusion, the logical progression from Hot Rats (1969), which used a much smaller lineup.
Grand Wazoo (1972, Germany) 12" LP
Barking Pumpkin Records D1-74212 , 1988 , USA
Guitar is the 1988 album by Frank Zappa. It is the follow-up to 1981's Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar; like that album it features Zappa's guitar solos excerpted from live performances, recorded between 1979 and 1984. It garnered Zappa his 6th Grammy nomination for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance".
Guitar (1988, USA) 12" 2LP
This was released in October 1969. Five of the six songs are instrumental ("Willie the Pimp" features a short vocal by Captain Beefheart). It was Zappa's first recording project after the dissolution of the original Mothers of Invention.
Hot Rats - Germany Manufactured by TELDEC Hot Rats - German Reprise Records
Recorded in 1971 at Ahoy Hallen in Rotterdam. This collector's gem showcases the eclectic genius of Frank Zappa and his band. Side One features tracks like "Peaches En Regalia" and "Tears Began To Fall,"
CBS 86101 , 1979 , Holland
This album "Joe's Garage Act I" is the 1979 rock opera by Frank Zappa. Zappa self-deprecatingly describes the album as a stupid little story about how the government is going to do away with music
Joe's Garage Act I (1979, Holland) 12" LPZappa’s “Lumpy Gravy” is where he ditches the whole band identity and plunges into a wild orchestral collage stitched together with tape edits, surreal moods, and his trademark sideways humor. A fever-dream of strings, quirks, and attitude — and the first glimpse of the sprawling sonic universe he’d build for years to come.
CBS 25251 , 1983 , Holland
The album is named after a 1950s song, written by Donald and Doris Woods, which Zappa covers as part of "The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou".
The Man From Utopia (1983, Holland) 12" LP
Barking Pumpkin Records ST-74203 , 1985 , USA
The album's title is a reference to the lobby group, the PMRC, who were campaigning to require record companies to put warning stickers on albums they considered offensive, and to Zappa's former band, The Mothers of Invention.
Meets the Mothers of Prevention (1985, USA) 12" LP
DiscReet Records DIS 59207 (Z) , 1975 , Germany
" One Size Fits All FOC" is the 1975 rock album by Frank Zappa The album features the final version of The Mothers of Invention, with George Duke, Chester Thompson, Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler and Napoleon Murphy Brock.
One Size Fits All (1975, Germany) 12" LP
Discreet Records DSK 2294 , 1979 , USA
"Orchestral Favorites 12" is the original release capturing live recordings of the "Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra" at Royce Hall, UCLA in 1975
Orchestral Favorites 12" LP
FOO-EEE RI 60544
Piquantique a recording capturing Zappa's performance at Solliden, Skansen, Stockholm, on 21 August 1973, with one track from the Roxy in December 1973.
Piquantique Stockholm 1973 12" LP
AMAZING KORNYFONE (aka KORNYPHONE) , 1971
"Poot Face Booogie" is a captivating 12" LP vinyl that combines live recordings from Frank Zappa's 1971 performance at Ahoy Rotterdam with studio recordings from 1968. Notably, Zappa sings "Geef Mij Wat Vloer Bedekking Onder Deze Vette Zwevende Sofa"
Poot Face Booogie 12" LP
DISCREET 2DS 2202 31,792 , 1974 , USA
Most of the songs were recorded at The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California on December 8, 9 and 10, 1973. The material taken from the Roxy concerts was later amended with some overdubs in the studio
Roxy & Elsewhere (1974, USA) 12" 2LP
FOO-EEE RI-70543
This is an unofficial 2LP vinyl album that captures Frank Zappa's live performance at Ludwigparkstadion, Saarbrücken, Germany, on 3 September 1978.
Saarbrücken 1978 12" 2LP
Known for its satirical lyrics and complex compositions, "Sheik Yerbouti" offers a unique blend of rock, jazz, and humor that has made it a classic in Zappa's discography.
Sheik Yerbouti - England Release Sheik Yerbouti - Holland Release
CBS 85804 , 1982 , Holland
This album features five tracks composed by Zappa, and one song, "Valley Girl", co-written with Moon Unit Zappa, his daughter, who provided the spoken monologue mocking some of the Valley girls at her school
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch (1982, Holland) 12" Vinyl LP
CBS 66368 , 1981 , Holland
"Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar" highlighting Zappa's virtuosity on the electric guitar. This album is a collection of instrumental compositions and improvised solos, emphasizing Zappa's exceptional guitar skills
Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar Box-set (1981, Holland) 12" Vinyl 3LP
The album opens with "The Closer You Are", a soulful cover that showcases Zappa's versatility. His rendition of this classic by The Channels brings a new dimension to the song, setting the tone for the auditory adventure that follows.
Them Or Use - European Edition Them Or Us - French Edition
CBS 88516 , 1981 , Holland
"Tinsel Town Rebellion" was conceived by Zappa after he scrapped the planned albums "Warts and All" and "Crush All Boxes", and it contains tracks that were intended for those albums.
Tinsel Town Rebellion DLP FOC (1981, Holland) 12" Vinyl LP
FOO-EEE RI 70542 , 1967 , Stockholm
The hilarious album front cover of Frank Zappa's unofficial album "'Tis the season to be jelly" is an illustration of Frank Zappa wearing an Oxygen tank and showing off his green smelly sock.
Tis The Season To Be Jelly , Live in Sweden 1967 (Unofficial / Bootleg) 12" Vinyl LP
FOO-EEE RI-70540
Unmitigated Audacity 12" Vinyl LP Album captures the energy of Frank Zappa's live performance at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, on 12 May 1974. This album features an eclectic mix of Zappa's iconic tracks,
Unmitigated Audacity (Unofficial / Bootleg) 12" Vinyl LP"Waka Jawaka" is the jazz-infused precursor to The Grand Wazoo, acting as a spiritual sequel to 1969’s Hot Rats. Released in 1972, the album blends complex horn arrangements with Zappa’s signature guitar work, and its title, according to Zappa, came from a Ouija board session.
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CBS 88560 , 1981 , Holland
"You Are What You Is" is a captivating double LP gatefold vinyl album that showcases Zappa's musical and artistic prowess. Inside the gatefold cover, you'll find stunning artwork and photos.
You Are What You Is (1981, Holland) 12" Vinyl LP
"Zoot Allures" was Zappa's only release on the Warner Bros. Records label. Due to a lawsuit with his former manager Herb Cohen Frank Zappa's recording contract was temporarily re-assigned from DiscReet Records to Warner Bros.
Zoot Allures - German Release Zoot Allures - Netherlands Release